hank Archive

The violin concerto by Brahms showcased the virtuosic talents of his longtime friend, the Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim. Both men participated in its premiere (Brahms as conductor) in Leipzig on January 1, 1879. The work, …

“Widmung” is one of many songs Robert Schumann wrote for his wife, Clara. The meaning of this German word is “Dedication”. Interesting history is the fun part, and to get there, singers need to master …

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli began studying violin at age three. He later entered the Milan Conservatory as a piano student of Giuseppe Anfossi, graduating at age 14. In 1939 he won first prize at the Geneva …

In the early 1800’s, as a youngster, Franz Schubert played string quartets with his parents and siblings. He would always play the viola part. Years later, until his death at age 31, Schubert composed more …

Claude Debussy (1862–1918) was already ill with the cancer which prematurely ended his life, when he began to compose his Violin Sonata in G minor. He began to sketch the work in 1916 and completed …